Chicago



(No Model.)

J. JORDAN & I. O. PLANT.

SEAL FOR SEAL LOCKS.

No. 350,886. Patented Oot.'12, 1886.

IJV VIE-WTOR UNITE STATES PATENT Enron.

JESSE JORDA), AND INCREASE O. PLANT, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

SEAL FOR SEAL-LOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,886, dated October 12, 1886.

Application filed August 13, 1886. Serial No. 210,801. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JEssE JORDAN and INCREASE G. PLANT, citizens of the United States, and residents of Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seals for Seal-Locks,- and we do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of theinvention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a representation of both sides of our improved couponseal, and Figs. 2 and 3 are similar representations showing modified forms of seal bearing different characters. Fig. 4 is a representation of the back of an other modification of said seal.

Our invention has relation to seals for seallocks of that class of which the lock shown and described in the Letters Patent of the United States No. 328,893, dated October 20, 1885, may serve as an examplethat is to say, a lock provided with a recess or compartment adapted to hold the coupon of the seal in such a manner that the said coupon will not be torn or injured in opening the lock, while the seal proper, which forms an extension of the coupon, is effectually destroyed when the lock is opened. An improved lock of the same class is described and claimed in another application filed by us in the United States Patent Office, August 10, 1886, Serial N 0. 210,532. Ve desire it to be understood at the outset, however, that our improved seal is not confined in its use to any particular kind or description of look, so long as the lock contains a pocket or receptacle for the preservation of the coupon, or that part of the seal which is not to be destroyed.

same arrives at its final destination, the several coupons then remaining in the lock will show the whole history of the shipment from the starting-point to the terminal point, each agent affixing his name to the coupon on the seal which he deposits in the lock.

To this end we construct our improved seal in the nature of a T-shaped card, of paper, pasteboard, or any other suitable .material, the top portion of which may easily be severed from the stem or lower portion by the ends of the upper portion bearing against fixed parts of the lock as the stem is torn away in opening the lock. This upperportion is What we call the coupon. Upon the face of the coupon and the stem may be printed or otherwise marked, as seen on the examples shown in Fig. 1, the names of the stations forming the termini of a certain cars trip, and upon the back portion of the stem similar matter may be printed. \Ve also propose to print or mark upon the stem the particular device which constitutes the seal of the particular line or transfer company making use of the car, and by means of which the seals are identified and distinguished from one another.

This seal is effectually destroyed in opening the lock by mechanism of any suitable construction adapted for the purpose. Upon both sides of the coupon, however, may be printed either the matter shown on the drawings, or else any other suitable matter, as may be desired by the line which uses the seals. For example, upon the face of the coupon may be printed the words Agents will leave original and all other cards found in look, showing place of departure and destination, Where opened, and what taken out at each point.

Issue your own card when the car leaves, and upon the other side of the coupon may be provided a space for the signature of the agent and the date when the car was opened; but we desire it to be distinctly understood that we will not confine ourselves to any par ticular printed matter, but reserve the right to use any matter which may be found desirable, as experience and expediency may suggest, or as may be preferred by the railroadlines making use of this seal. In regard to the stem, however, we prefer to mark both sides in the same mannerthat is to say, affix the seal on both sides-whereby we avoid the necessity of being obliged to slip the seal in I with a particular side facing the glass window of the look, so that it will make no difference what side of theseal shows through the look; but as the coupon is hidden in the lock-case both its sides may be marked differently, as above indicated.

In Fig. 2 the seal is shown with a larger coupon, which bears upon one side the name of the railroad, the name of the lading-station, and spaces for thesignature of the consignor, or the lading-agent, or the inspecting-agent, and the date, while upon the back may be written the contents of the car. The names of the road and the lading-station, as before, are placed upon both sides of the stem.

In Fig. 3 the seal is shown in a form which better adapts it for general use. The coupon, being easily torn from the stem, needs only to be slightly clamped in the lock to retainit in place when the seal is broken. Upon one side of the coupon and upon both sides of the stem are printed the name of the road and the character representing the lading station, and upon said "side of the coupon is also provided a blank for the car-number, while upon the other side are blanks which may be filled by the names of the consignor and consignee, or the name of the lading-agent or the inspecting-agent; also the date of lading.

The coupons may be rendered easily detachable in any suit-able manner, that shown at a in Figs. 1 and 2 being by means of cuts ex tending in a little way at the junction of the top portion with the stem, and that shown at b in Fig. 3 being by means of the usual hardstamped dashes. As a consequence of this construction of coupon-seals, when the seal is broken-that is, when the stem portion is torn away by the opening of the lock-the coupon (the portion containing the information as to shipment, inspection, &c.) remains intact within the lock, and can be left there till the car reaches its destination, while other seals may be added, on the coupons of which will be printed the names of the authorized opening-stations, and upon which will be indorsed the signature of the opening-agent, date of opening, and the goods taken out. Thus it will be seen that in the use of this seal the agent at the destination of the car can, upon comparing the coupons with his papers, tell the amount of freight taken from the car at each opening by an authorized agent, and can also ascertain between what two opening-stations the car may have been entered by an unauthorized person.

Having thus described our invention, we"

claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A coupon-seal for seal-locks, bearing the same device or characters upon both sides of that portion which is exposed to view through the lockwvindow, and bearing upon that part or coupon which is hidden by the lock and remains permanently therein any desired information concerning the contents of the car upon which the seal is used.

2. A coupon-seal for seal-locks, bearing the name of a railroad and the name of a station, together with any other suitable matter or device, upon both sides of that portion of the seal which is to be destroyed, and bearing upon the coupon, or that portion of the seal which is not intended to be destroyed, any suitable directions or other printed matter relating to the contents of the car, and having suitable spaces or blanks to be'signed or otherwise marked by the person by whom the car is opened, or by whom a seal is deposited in the look.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereunto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE JORDAN. INCREASE O. PLANT. Witnesses:

Gno. H. PLANT, J NO. H. INGRAHAM. 

